National gay rights group gives Vallejo low marks

Vallejo scored the lowest among Bay Area cities surveyed by a national organization which evaluated 137 communities for their support -- or lack thereof -- of gay rights.

This is the first "Municipal Equality Index" compiled by the Human Rights Campaign, which is based in Washington, D.C., and advocates for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights.

Vallejo scored 52 of a possible 100 points, giving it the lowest score among the 10 Bay Area cities surveyed, and one of the lowest among the index's 21 California cities.

The index evaluates a variety of factors, including a city's non-discrimination laws, recognition of same-sex relationships and how that municipality as an employer treats its LGBT employees.

However, the index also took into account state and county laws and policies that protect LGBT rights. For example, because California recognizes domestic partnerships and civil unions, Vallejo gets full points, despite no local laws that give explicit recognition.

Thus, all California cities would by default get at least 36 points. The lowest-scoring California city was Rancho Mirage at 44 points.

Solano County has the distinction of being the only Bay Area county in which a majority of voters supported Proposition 8, the 2008 initiative that constitutionally banned same-sex marriage. Mirroring the county, Vallejo approved the measure with more than 60 percent of the vote.

"This (index) is putting a number on things people already know," said Vallejo resident David Crumrine, a member of Better Vallejo.

Better Vallejo formed a few years ago after Mayor Osby Davis told a Bay Citizen website columnist that gays were "committing sin and that sin will keep them out of heaven." The comments drew a strong reaction from gay rights supporters, and Davis later apologized for them.

Crumrine said he was attracted to Vallejo by stories of a vibrant gay community and its openly gay politicians such as former City Council members Gary Cloutier and Michael Wilson.

Last year, the U.S. Census Bureau released statistics showing Vallejo is one of the top 15 Bay Area cities in terms of its gay and lesbian population. That was one reason Vallejo was included in the Human Rights Campaign survey.

"What happens in many ways is LGBT rights and benefits are the bellwether that many other groups decide whether they can trust the city to be a good place for them to raise their families (or) to encourage their friends to come," Crumrine said.

Individual reports are available for each city, highlighting their differences. San Francisco, for example, received points for having an LGBT task force in its police department, while Vallejo does not.

The report docked Vallejo for not having a functioning human rights commission, nor ordinances requiring non-discrimination for its contractors, nor regular engagement with the LGBT community, such as city participation in pride celebrations.

Additionally, it pointed to a current lack of gay politicians in the city.